Description: Of the many filmed versions of the October 26,
1881, O.K. Corral shootout in Tombstone, Arizona, Gunfight
at the O.K. Corral was one of the most elaborate and
star-studded. Burt Lancaster plays Wyatt Earp, the renowned
lawman, while Kirk Douglas is consumptive gambler (and
gunfighter) Doc Holliday -- the two meet in difficult
circumstances, as Earp discovers that Holiday, for whom he
initially feels little but loathing, is being held on a
trumped up murder charge and being set up for a lynching,
and intercedes on his behalf. The action shifts to Dodge
City, Kansas, where Earp is marshal and Holiday, hardly
grateful for the good turn, shows up right in the middle of
all kinds of trouble, this time mostly on Earp's side of the
ledger. And, finally, the two turn up in Tombstone, Arizona,
where Wyatt's brother Virgil is city marshal, and where
Wyatt finally gets to confront the Clanton/McLowery outlaw
gang (led by Lyle Bettger as Ike Clanton). Since the
time-span of the actual gunfight was at most 90 seconds, the
bulk of the film concerns the tensions across many months
leading up to the famous battle.

The Film:

John Sturges' Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) was hardly the
first, and wouldn't be the last, film to cover the legendary shootout
involving Wyatt Earp, "Doc" Holiday, and those ornery Clanton Boys (see
John Ford's
My Darling Clementine (1946) for the heavyweight champ of this
particular story.) But Gunfight at the O.K. Corral features one
of the more thrilling shootouts ever filmed. Although Burt Lancaster and
Kirk Douglas (as Earp and Holliday, respectively) deliver the goods, the
thing people remember most about Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is...that
gunfight. Everything else is really just a well-crafted prelude to the
blazing six-guns.

You probably have a passing familiarity with the basic storyline. It's
1881. Earp and Holliday are gun-slinging compatriots in the town of
Dodge City, where Earp is also the marshal. Earp is ready to hang up his
guns and settle down with a beautiful gambler named Laura Denbow (Rhonda
Fleming) when he's contacted by his brother Virgil (John Hudson), the
marshal of the aptly named burg of Tombstone, Arizona. Virgil needs help
controlling the Clanton-Ringo gang, whose members are mercilessly
terrorizing the locals. Earp and Holliday, living, as they do, by a code
of honor, take it upon themselves to ride out to Tombstone and try to
make peace. Eventually, things come to a head at the O.K. Corral, where
everyone starts shootin' and hollerin' and dyin'.

Students of American frontier history will know from the title
that this film has to do with a famous gunfight that took place in
Tombstone, Ariz., between a small posse headed by United States Marshall
Wyatt Earp and five members of the lawless Clanton gang. And students of
motion picture patterns will deduce from that knowledge that this film
is mainly a build-up to that showdown, which comes in blazing fury at
the end.

They will be right. Leon Uris, working from an article by George Scullin,
has hacked out a screen play in which Wyatt Earp goes through a long lot
of getting acquainted with the gambler-gunman Doc Holliday before he
brings those two doughty heroes side-by-side and face-to-face with the
Clantons at the O. K. Corral.

Image : NOTE:The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral appears far less
manipulated than the simultaneously released Paramount
Blu-ray
Wayne flics (Hatari and
El Dorado). I don't discount some digitization
manifesting in a movement to moiring. Generally
though, it has not crossed my personal threshold. It is a
shade waxy and glossy but nothing I can't live with - you
may differ. This
is only single-layered with a more modest bitrate but the
image is clean and shows crispness in close-ups. Colors seem
authentic (flesh tones minutely warm). There are frequent
examples of depth. Daylight scenes dominate and the Arizona
and California 'big sky' scenes add to the flavor. This
1.78:1
Blu-ray
is pretty consistent in the representation of the visuals. I
enjoyed the presentation.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Audio :

Purists will find a

less-necessary bump to a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 3013 kbps and no option
for the original mono. The separations are infrequent, but there and add
some atmosphere to the olde west, I suppose. Of course, there is
gunplay, that gets some punch from the lossless transfer. Score is by
the iconic Dimitri Tiomkin
(Angel
Face,
Strangers on a Train,
The Men,Dial
M For Murder,
The Thing From Another World etc. etc.) and there are
optional subtitles (and 2 foreign language DUBs.)
My
Oppo
has identified
it as being a region FREE disc playable on
Blu-ray
machines worldwide.

Extras :

None at all -
not even a trailer.

BOTTOM LINE: Classic western - not only the lore of the story but the stars. I
like the Paramount
Blu-ray - Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a film I will revisit.
Bare-bones but the reasonable prices reflects that.
Recommended!

Gary Tooze

February 24th, 2013

About the Reviewer:
Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film
since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was
around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my
horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out
new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500
DVDs and have reviewed over 5000 myself. I appreciate my
discussion Listserv for furthering my film
education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver.
Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our
Amazon links.

Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction.